Forge Of Empires, the free-to-play strategy game

InnoGames knows the browser-based gaming market very well. Having
achieved success with Tribal Wars in 2003, the Hamburg-based company
has gone onto create many successful ‘Freemium’ titles aimed at the
core audience of gamers and now claims that 75 million registered
players are engaged in its virtual worlds.

The latest title the company is working on is Forge Of Empires, an
in-depth strategy game that lets players create
their own city and watch it grow from the beginning of the Stone Age
throughout the centuries.

Aspiring architects and city-planners have to juggle several factors,
creating residential and production buildings to provide money and
supplies for its increasing population.

As a city’s population grows in the game, the inhabitants develop an
increasing demand for leisure activities. Players can choose from a
number of buildings to meet that demand such as schools, theatres,
public bath houses – and later on– cathedrals and castles.

Military buildings allow players to recruit troops to defend their city
and conquer these neighbouring provinces. Goods buildings produce rare
resources like marble or honey, which can be used for trading and
diplomacy in order to keep citizens happy.

Productivity quickly declines with an unhappy population, whereas
healthy levels of happiness boost the production of resources. Once a
city is truly fulfilled, leaders set out to take over surrounding
provinces.

Players gain access to several supplies of raw goods, such as wool or
trees, by conquering provinces on the world map. Resources can then be
refined to rare goods, like lumber or cloth, and traded with other
players, or used to unlock new technologies on the research tree
and to negotiate with NPCs.

The core of the game is to construct an impressive city, but in order
to build their empire players are tasked with widening their influence
by conquering surrounding provinces. This means there's countless
opportunities to fight adversaries on the battlefield and develop
tactics.

Battles in Forge of Empires take place on a Hex field which allows for
a number of tactical tricks and options. Every side assembles an army
comprised of different types of units with individual strengths and
skills. Each unit has a special ability and terrain differs in each
fighting scenario in order to make the turn-based battles varied and
tactically challenging.

As the players’ city evolves, battle evolves with it and throughout the
centuries new types of units arise, from basic stone-throwing slingers
to sophisticated and deadly war machinery. As players advance in the campaign, they
unlock PvP Towers, which allows them to compete in various PvP
tournaments that will run over the course of a week. In the future,
InnoGames plans additional PvP features as well as a co-op campaign.

Forge Of Empires is due for release in May and will be free-to-play
with the option of buying in-game extras. For more details, check out
the Forge of Empires website.